$7.25M awarded to Queen Creek woman after fall on Universal Studios Hollywood's Harry Potter ride
A woman who suffered a spinal injury at Universal Studios Hollywood was recently awarded $7.25 million by a jury after a dayslong trial and hours of deliberation.
Pamela Morrison, 74, of Queen Creek, was seated with her grandson on the Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey ride on Sept. 30, 2022, when an employee asked her to exit because her safety harness was not properly secured, according to the Associated Press. The ride was already moving, and Morrison fell.
Taylor Kruse of Los Angeles City Law, an attorney for Morrison, said that incident resulted in a spinal compression fracture that "changed every aspect of Ms. Morrison's life."
"Universal Studios could have taken 5 seconds to stop the ride and allow for a safe exit, but they chose to keep the ride moving at all costs," she said.
Universal Studios Hollywood declined to comment on the case and awarded damages. In court documents, attorneys for the theme park argued that Morrison's own negligence contributed to her fall. During the trial, lawyers said Morrison was focused on her grandson and not on where she was stepping, according to AP.
Jurors in the case participated in a lengthy deliberation, according to court documents. In one handwritten note sent to U.S. District Judge Dolly Gee, jurors asked, "If one juror feels they (are) incapable of coming to a decision of an amount of damages, can they excuse themselves from the trial? Can seven jurors make the decision?"
Ultimately, jury notes show that the jurors opted to continue deliberations until they reached a unanimous verdict. Morrison received $250,000 for future medical expenses and $7 million in noneconomic damages.
Kruse said they came to "a just verdict." She said the awarded damages will compensate Morrison for her "pain, suffering, disfigurement, anxiety, humiliation" and "future medical treatment."
Accusations fly: Arizona joins unfair competition lawsuit vs. Deere & Co. Company blames 'politics'
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: AZ woman's attorney: Fall on ride 'changed every aspect' of her life
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